Once upon a time a girl from the Bronx had big dreams of opening an independent bookstore/wine bar right here at home It would be the only indie bookstore in the entire borough–home to 1.4 million people and 10 collegesAnd it would be calledThe Lit. Bar…

In October 2014, Bronx native and resident, Noëlle Santos, joined over 3,000 protesters to save the only existing bookstore in the borough, Barnes & Noble, from displacement. This effort by Bronx readers galvanized property owners to extend the chains store’s lease through 2016; however, the future of Barnes & Noble’s Bay Plaza location beyond this year is uncertain. Through this initiative, Noëlle discovered that the Bronx would remain grossly underserved even if the northeast bookstore was allowed to renew its lease; recognizing an opportunity to create a sustainable, more accessible bookshop, that addresses the shortcomings of big-box stores: reflecting and serving the unique needs of the communities they operate in.

Update 9/17/2018- Pardon our appearance. Construction on our space at 131 Alexander Avenue in Mott Haven is near completion! Our opening date is at the mercy of the NYC Departments of This & That, but our to-do lists say we should be swinging from the library ladder in late October/early November. Click here for answers to our most frequently asked questions and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates and invitations to our opening festivities.